This invention relates to a rotary stamp. More particularly, the invention relates to a rotary stamp having rotary printing members and another printing member that can print at the same time as the rotary printing members.
A conventional rotary stamp of this type comprises a substantially reverse U-shaped upper frame including a top plate and a pair of facing side plates connected to both ends of the top plate, respectively, a fixed shaft supported substantially midway between said side plates, a bridge laid out between the lower end of said side plates, a plurality of cylindrical rotary members rotatably supported on said fixed shaft in said upper frame, each rotary member having an annular disc formed integrally with one end thereof and toothed on the circumference, a plurality of endless belts, each endless belt being stretched around said bridge and the corresponding rotary member and having on the surface thereof a plurality of printing members, and a lower frame including a plate having an opening at the center thereof and another printing member bonded to the lower face of said plate, wherein the printing members of the endless belts can be positioned in said opening of the lower frame on a plane common with said other printing member on the lower face of the plate of the lower frame when the endless belts are located below said bridge.
According to this conventional rotary stamp, two groups of letters or dates can be stamped on one sheet of paper simultaneously by the printing members of the endless belts and the other printing member on the lower face of the plate of the lower frame. It is preferred that the two groups of letters or dates stamped by both of the printing members and the other printing member be as close to each other as possible. However, if both the printing members are disposed so that the groups of stamped letters or dates are close to each other, it is impossible to move the endless belts smoothly since the printing member of the belts strikes either the plate around the opening or the other printing member.
As means for overcoming this defect, there have been proposed several structures, for example, (1) a structure in which the opening of the lower frame is enlarged, (2) a structure in which the lower frame is disposed dismountably from the upper frame, and (3) a structure in which the lower frame is pivoted on the upper frame so that the lower frame can be turned according to need.
When the structure (1) is adopted, the letters or dates printed by the printing members of the endless belts and the other printing member of the lower frame are spaced from each other and the printed letters or dates cannot easily be read correctively. When the structure 2 is adopted, the operation of dismounting the lower frame and attaching it to the upper frame is troublesome and the efficiency is reduced. When the structure 3 is adopted, the disadvantages encountered in case of the structures 1 and 2 can be avoided. However, this structure fails to meet a user3 s desire that one of a number of lower frames provided be freely chosen and combined with the upper frame.